The Mae Naak shrine,
which is supposedly her burial place, is located at the edge of the
Wat Mahabute compound in On Nut, Sukhumwit Soi 77, Bangkok. Her famed
shrine attracts visitors from far and near, and the close by monastery
as well as the neighborhood peddlers all benefit from her great popularity.
Sweet incense and flower
garlands perfume the air in the front part of the shrine when one enters
her "home". With a donation of twenty baht, an offering package
including stick incense, a piece of paper with a stamp-size gold leaf,
and a yellow candle is available; a bundle of orchids and bottles of
fragrance can be added by paying a little more. Pious worshipers, of
course, would prepare their own floral wreaths, fresh fruit, and khanom
as extra oblation. Colorful dresses, cosmetic products, together with
various accessories presented by her believers fill every inch of the
chamber. Toys, diapers, and milk bottles are heaped up as gifts for
her child.
| People
are paying their respect to Mae Naak in picture 1 and in picture
2 is Mae Naak's image. Third picture is stuff for her child and
television for her that's on all the time. There are footballs,
dolls, toy cars, etc. for her child and cosmetics for her like
lipstick, soap, shampoo, etc. |
The devotees kneel and pray
to her statue, which sits at the rear of the room and faces a television
that is kept on all the time. After paying their respect or registering
their requests, some would go to the back of the house and apply squares
of thin gold leaf to her statue. The Nang Naak figure is reputed to
be made from soil gathered from seven different cemeteries under local
auspicious belief. The shrine attendants, moreover, regularly lather
the statue with ointment to make her "skin" softer and more
real.
| People
buy turtles, birds, eels and fish to set free. They do this to
make merit. In the third picture , people are selling lottery
tickets to the people who come to visit this temple. |
Nang Naak has brought fortune
and guardianship to many individuals along with the local community,
so her devotees believe. Apart from general blessings and protection,
Mae Naak is benevolent at giving out winning lottery numbers. On the
eve of the lottery draw, the shrine is particularly busy. Ticket sellers,
fortunetellers, and merit-offering vendors of fish and bird flock the
area, and they all seem to enjoy lucrative business. Mae Naak, furthermore,
is popular among young men who are going to attend another "lucky
draw", the so-called "red bean black bean" draft. Since
Nang Naak's grief and misfortune was caused by military conscription,
she is believed to detest the call-ups and naturally becomes the patron
deity for those who want to get out of it. Notwithstanding, bestowing
fertility and pregnancy are not her specialty. Expectant mothers are
often advised to avoid visiting her for obvious reason.
|
They are looking for the lottery number at Takian tree in the
1st picture. The 2nd and 3rd pictures show the area for telling
your fortune. There are dozens and dozens of tables there. |
Next to her shrine arise
two tall, ancient takian trees, swathed with resplendent fabrics and
spotted with yellow candle wax. Thais always relate aged large trees
to ghosts or spirits, and in this case, these lumpy old takians that
shade the resting place of Nang Naak are particularly powerful. With
the natural latex from the cracks and constant rubbing from worshipers,
the surfaces of the tree are uncannily smooth. Through scrubbing the
wood, the fortuitous devotees will find winning lottery numbers revealed
by the spirit. On the other hand, Nang Naak hasother
mightily and magical neighbors who can also grant wishes and offer comforts.
In a nearby wihan, enthusiastic worshipers pray and shake the
fortune siemsee in front of not only the Lord Buddha images but
also a glass coffin in which lies the corpse of a kuman thawng
"golden child". A wooden altar behind Nang Naak's shrine houses
a trio of deities ranging from Hindu gods to a Chinese Goddess. Along
with the Mahabute temple, the whole compound has become a spiritual
wonderland of different religions and indigenous beliefs.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Take the skytrain to the On Nut station. On the east side of Sukhumwit
Road, you will find Soi 77. Mahabute temple is about 900 metres down
this road on the left. Look out for Soi 7. The temple is alongside a
canal at the end of Soi 7.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION:
"Thai Folklore: Insights into Thai Culture" by Siraporn Nathalang.
All photographs by Panrit "Gor" Daoruang.
